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Category: General

Retail News Asia is committed to providing both local and global retailers with the latest General Retail news throughout the Asian market. This on a daily base.

  • Kertajati airport project to cost Rp3.7 trillion

    Kertajati airport project to cost Rp3.7 trillion

    The Kertajati airport project in West Java will cost around Rp3.7 trillion, to be paid by the central governmernt West Java Governor Ahmad Heryawan said.

    The central government through the transport ministry will finance the construction of the international airport in the regency of Majalengka, the governor said here on Monday.

    President Joko Widodo announced the decision on the project financing during his visit to Majalengka on Sunday.

    The governor said construction of the runway and the monitoring tower will cost around Rp1.6 trillion and the terminal and other facilities will cost around Rp2.1 trillion.

    The West Java administration is to pay only for the 1,800 hectare land clearing, the governor said, adding land clearing has been 1,000 hectares completed.

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  • National Gallery Singapore teams up with & Co to create a dynamic lifestyle space

    National Gallery Singapore teams up with & Co to create a dynamic lifestyle space

    The National Gallery Singapore and & Co just reinvented the museum store. Located on the ground floor of the newly opened museum, the lifestyle concept space, named Gallery & Co, fuses together several different elements. Comprised of a retail shop, a casual dining area that serves organic bites and a gallery, Gallery & Co seeks to engage museum visitors through its vast offerings. The gallery tapped creative collective & Co to curate and design the space. The retail area features platforms covered in grids, stripes and polka dots, while the cafe consists of clean lines and a green tile floor.

    ‘Each space has its unique aesthetic catering to a different product category and customer type, ensuring relevance and engendering engagement. They are all unified by the custom-designed grey tiles and blue-grey columns,’ says Yah-Leng Yu, co-founder of & Co and the Foreign Policy Design Group.

    The retail shop carries both international and local fashion and design brands, such as French fashion label Kitsuné and Singaporean jewellery brand Argentum. The shop also holds special collaborations between brands and the museum, like the timepiece made collaboratively with Japanese solar watch company Q&Q. The gallery will also exhibit emerging artists.

    ‘Our objective for doing the store was really to make it a living and evolving space, and the idea of the retail store was to really inspire people to be creative. That’s what the museum is for, to bring the public here, and to inspire them through art – and that’s what we aim to do in our store,’ said & Co co-founder Alwyn Chong. ‘That’s why we don’t sell the regular museum souvenirs – really we are about collaborating, about bringing people together, and about creating something special.’

  • Shoppers spent more last Xmas than in 2014

    Shoppers spent more last Xmas than in 2014

    Economic growth in Singapore may have slowed to about 2 per cent last year, but that did not dampen the spirit of shoppers last Christmas.

    Overall Christmas spending has grown from a year ago, say credit card companies.

    There was a 16 per cent increase in overall spending last December from the same month in 2014, said Mr Vincent Tan, head of cards at OCBC Bank. Visa also saw a 10 per cent growth in the volume of overall transactions.

    At the same time, the rise in spending on online platforms outpaced that at brick-and-mortar shops. In-store transactions grew by 8 per cent, said MasterCard, while e-commerce transactions grew last month by 25 per cent from the previous year. It did not give absolute figures.

    Online spending over the festive period also grew by 36 per cent last year at OCBC, compared with a 13 per cent gain at physical shops.

    At Visa, there was a 20 per cent year-on-year growth in online transactions in November and December last year. The number of Visa cardholders shopping online has also grown by the same proportion.

    Spending patterns over the festive period mirror wider trends.

    According to a study commissioned by PayPal in partnership with market research firm Ipsos, online shopping growth in Singapore is expected to hit 16 per cent next year, the third fastest in the Asia Pacific after India and China.

    Consumers are attracted to the convenience of shopping online, as well as the competitive prices offered by online retailers, according to a survey of 500 people by Visa.

    These trends have brought good news for local online retailers, which have seen a huge growth in profits from festive sales last year.

    Local e-commerce platform Shopback, which has 200,000 customers and sells a wide range of goods, enjoyed a tenfold growth in profits last month, as compared with December 2014. It declined to give absolute figures.

    Sales performance in early to middle of last month was also better than the days right before Christmas, said a spokesman. This could be due to the buffer period required for shipping, he added.

    Online fashion retailer Zalora, which has its headquarters here, also saw a growth of 73 per cent for a four-day online shopping extravaganza held last month, compared with the same event a year earlier, said a spokesman.

    Teacher Lye Pin Quan, 28, spent about $1,000 online on gifts for friends and family, as well as on Christmas decorations. He shopped on local e-commerce sites like Qoo10 and Lazada, as well as overseas ones like Taobao, purchasing mainly electronic products.

    “The long queues at retail stores are quite off-putting during the festive period, and I also find that there are better sales and discounts on items online. Sometimes, you can save as much as 50 per cent or more,” he said.

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  • Investors sought for top-yielding Oud production project in Laos

    Investors sought for top-yielding Oud production project in Laos

    Two companies from Malaysia are on the lookout for investors to set up a big agarwood tree plantation in Laos to produce Oud oil and other agarwood products for markets in Asia, the Middle East and Europe.

    Agricultural contractor Aseagate on January 6 signed an agreement valued 200mn with forestry management and agriculture technology firm Richwood Capital both companies are based in Kuala Lumpur to operate and run a 2,000-hectare agarwood tree plantation in the central Lao province of Bolikhamsai, one of the largest plantations projects in the landlocked Southeast Asian country so far.

    According to Richwood Capital’s CEO Kendrick Ho Qing Tyat, the project will be implemented in four phases. The initial investment in the first phase is about 18mn for the planting of 200,000 agarwood trees aged between 18 and 22 years at costs of 90 per tree, which should yield a return of 200mn in three years based on calculations that one liter of high-quality agarwood oil fetches at least 14,000 on the wholesale market.Over four phases in the coming six to eight years, with the planting of new trees and new investors on board, the venture’s business plan is to reach a total return of no less than 7.2bn, Tyat said at a press conference in Kuala Lumpur last week. The venture plans to set up its own production plant in Laos or to collaborate with a Lao partner. To produce the resin from which the Oud essence can be distilled, a special technique developed by a Singapore laboratory using a unique and effective enzyme will be deployed to multiply the resin output per tree.

    Main export markets will be the Middle East and China, and also Southeast Asia to tap the big potential that opened up with the recent launch of the ASEAN Economic Community. Top European perfume makers are also on the potential client list. The venture will also sell agarwood leaves, which can be made into tea, and explore ways of producing wood chips from the agarwood trees as well as offer “agriland banking” to investors to tap into the growing ptential of agarwood farming.

    Both companies hailed agarwood as a safe investment, as it was “more resilient to economic fluctuations as compared to stocks and bonds,” and insurance will be purchased to provide protection against possible natural calamities.

    Aseagate has been awarded the sole rights to the management of the agarwood plantation, while Richwood Capital will supply and plant the trees. The plantation concession has been exclusively awarded by the Lao government to the Singapore branch of non-governmental organisation Global Outstanding Chinese 100, or GOC100, an association of international Chinese industrialists, business people and entrepreneurs, which will cooperate with the two Malaysian firms in setting up the plantation and is working out profit-sharing and other details for the collaboration with the Lao government.

    GOC100 in August 2015 signed an exclusive agreement with the Lao Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry for the concession of the plantation which is located within a Lao military base and guarded by the army. Infrastructure-wise, the plantation will benefit from a new railway network linking Laos with China to be set up by 2020.

    Agarwood is increasingly becoming an investment commodity due to its valuable resin of which Oud oil is being distilled. Pure Oud is highly in demand as a natural fragrance throughout East and Southeast Asia, as well as in the Middle East and by global perfume manufacturers. It is a popular fragrance for both men and women in the Arab world, while it is also used in traditional Chinese medicine, by Ayurvedic and Tibetan physicians and as meditation incense by various religious groups. In some Arab cultures, it is also used as inhaled incense as a natural remedy against insomnia.

    What makes investment in an agarwood plantation particularly attractive is the fact that, due to its scarcity, the mature wood is pricier than gold with a retail price of between 5,600 and 10,000 per kilogramme, making it one of the most expensive natural raw materials in the world.

  • African exports to China descend by 40 percent

    African exports to China descend by 40 percent

    African exports to China fell by 40 percent in 2015, China’s customs office reports. China is Africa’s greatest single trading partner and its interest for African products has fuelled the continent’s recent financial development. The decrease in exports mirrors the recent slowdown in China’s economy. This has, thus, put African economies under weight and to some extent represents the falling estimation of numerous African currencies.

    Exhibiting China’s previous year trading figures, customs representative Huang Songping advised that African exports to China aggregated $67bn (£46.3bn), which was 38% down on the figure for 2014. BBC Africa Business Report editor Matthew Davies says that as China’s economy sets out toward what numerous experts say will be a hard finding, its requirement for African oil, metals and minerals has fallen quickly, taking commodity prices lower.

    There is likewise less funds coming from China to Africa, with direct investment from China into the mainland falling by 40% in the initial six months of 2015, he says. In the mean time, Africa’s interest for Chinese products is rising. In 2015 China sent $102bn worth of products to the mainland, an expansion of 3.6%. A year ago, South Africa facilitated a China-Africa summit amid which President Xi Jinping declared $60bn of aid and loans, symbolizing the nation’s growing part on the Continent.

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  • Thailand cracking down on foreign-controlled firms using locals as nominees

    Thailand cracking down on foreign-controlled firms using locals as nominees

    The Commerce Ministry’s Business Development Department will this year expand its investigation into the use of Thai nationals as nominees for foreign-controlled companies in nine provinces where it suspects the illegal practice is widespread.

    This year, three additional provinces will be monitored – Krabi, Trat (Koh Chang), and Chiang Rai. Last year, six provinces were focused on – Bangkok, Chon Buri, Surat Thani, Prachuap Khiri Khan, Chiang Mai, and Phuket – and 13 firms were suspected of breaching the Foreign Business Act (FBA) through the use of Thai nominees.

    Pongpun Gearaviriyapun, director-general of the department, said it would tackle this practice vigorously this year through stringent law enforcement in a bid to prevent problems occurring under the FBA.

    She said the department would extend its investigation of nominee cases to 10 business sectors – food and beverages, tourism, property rental, the property trade, car rentals, spas, handicraft and souvenir retail, Internet retailing, direct sales, and education consultants.

    She said those sectors would be targeted because it was believed that a high proportion of their businesses were foreign controlled through the use of Thai nominees.

    She said the department would stringently investigate those businesses in an effort to prevent enterprises and consumers being affected negatively as some foreign-owned businesses were engaged in unscrupulous activities to lure consumers.

    The inspections will focus on a business’ share structure, investment capital, and technology transfer.

    Last year, the department investigated six sectors – food and beverages, tourism, car rentals, property rental, property sales, and spas.

    Meanwhile, to facilitate foreign enterprises doing business in the country, the department is considering relaxing its regulations under the FBA. This would involve them not having to get the FBA board’s permission to operate under the act.

    Businesses that would benefit from the move include representative offices, companies that are state-owned contractors, and subsidiary firms.

    In addition, the department will focus on supporting the starting up of new enterprises and strengthening local business growth under the ASEAN seamless market.

    The department will also develop its electronic services, such as e-registration, e-filing, and e-service applications, to help enterprises register, submit account balances, and update information online so they can save costs and time.

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  • Hong Kong Government Collaborates With China In Phasing Out Ivory Trade

    Hong Kong Government Collaborates With China In Phasing Out Ivory Trade

    This week, animal rights activists in Hong Kong are celebrating a huge win as their plea to eliminate global ivory trade has been heard. Hong Kong’s Chief Executive Leung Chun Ying announced in his annual policy address that the country will phase out on ivory trading in collaboration with China.

    CNN reported that Hong Kong was allegedly the world’s largest retail market for ivory and a facilitator of illegal ivory transport into mainland China.

    “The Government is very concerned about the illegal poaching of elephants in Africa,” Leung said in his speech, “It will kick start legislative procedures as soon as possible to ban the import and export of elephant hunting trophies.”

    Hong Kong’s government has also vowed to impose heavy penalties against those who partake in illegal ivory trade and importation

    China reportedly has better laws regarding ivory trade compared to Hong Kong.

    According to Huffington Post, 30,000 African elephants are killed every year for their tusks, hence putting the species at a risk of extinction.  The government has reportedly begun a crackdown on the illegal trade, and the action is already making a difference.

    Earth Torch News Network asserted that the activist group initially began pinning down perpetrators three years ago, although the government was not so keen on doing the same. Additionally, reports indicate that the import and export of ivory have been banned in Hong Kong since 1989. However, there have been loopholes in the enforcement of such prohibition, thus allowing the trade to propagate.

    Meanwhile, an estimated 16.7 tons of ivory have been confiscated in Hong Kong for the past three years.

    In other news, animal rights activists are calling other Southeast Asian countries, including Thailand, to emulate China, Hongkong and the United States in banning the domestic trade of ivory.

    Wild Life reported that new fears arise as South Africa is planning to propose the re-opening of a regulated trade of rhino horn. Once the bill is passed, elephant poachers are likely to venture into rhino poaching to supply investors.

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  • Thailand set to lure shoppers from Singapore

    Thailand set to lure shoppers from Singapore

    Thailand luxury goods import duties may be cut in a move to make the nation a more attractive shopping destination for foreigners, a direct challenge to Singapore.

    Such a move would put Bangkok, already a fast-growing regional retail destination, in direct competition with Singapore and Hong Kong for regional tourist spending. Both Singapore and Hong Kong have long since culled such duties.

    Thailand’s Customs Department believes removing the 30 per cent tax on luxury goods would make the country the leading tourist destination for luxury goods shopping in Asia, potentially boosting tourist spending on shopping by 15 to 20 per cent.

    The argument in favour of the cut is that if Thailand’s luxury goods tax was no different from those in Hong Kong and Singapore, Thailand could become the preferred destination, because the country overall offers more attractions at a lower cost.

    The cut might also encourage Thais to shop at home instead of abroad.

    Foreign tourists in Thailand spend about US$33 a day on average on shopping – just half the figure tourists in Singapore spend and a quarter that spent in Hong Kong (it is not clear if those figures were calculated before the current downturn which has impacted on Chinese Mainlanders’ spending in Hong Kong).

    While Thailand retail prices overall are regionally competitive, import duties on so-called luxury items and a seven per cent sales tax make luxury branded goods, and items like fragrances, are more expensive than elsewhere.

    Thailand Customs Department director Kulit Sombatsiri says the department is studying the implications of the move to ensure it will not affect local businesses, and might limit the reduction to selected products that Thailand does not make.

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  • OGIO Announces First Retail Store Opening in Indonesia

    OGIO Announces First Retail Store Opening in Indonesia

    Following the highly successful introductions of their first 3 flagship store locations in Beijing, Shanghai and Seoul, South Korea, OGIO International announces the opening of its first retail store in Jakarta, Indonesia. The Jakarta location officially opened to the public on December 1st. The location, in the heart of Jakarta’s bustling Gambir Sub-District, is designed to house all of OGIO’s product collections.

    Investorideas.com Newswire

    “We are excited that our brand retail platform continues to be a major driver of growth for our international distributors and for our brand,” said OGIO CEO Tony Palma. “We feel that these flagship stores allow for a great introduction of OGIO to local customers around the world.”

    “The Jakarta location is our way of introducing our customers to the OGIO brand in Indonesia,” said Setiawan Sodhi, CEO at distribution partner PT Raja. “We feel that OGIO’s brand identity can really connect with the end consumer in Indonesia. Our customers will love OGIO’s adrenaline-driven styling in all of the various product collections.”

    Investorideas.com Newswire

    OGIO anticipates a second new flagship location in Indonesia, in the tourist mecca of Bali, slated for opening in 2016. With retail concepts successfully executed in China, Korea, Japan, Italy and Indonesia, OGIO continues to grow its international lifestyle business by double digits.

    “The success of our retail locations in other countries, both flagship stores and shop-in-shop concepts, has really caught the attention of many of our International distribution partners”, said OGIO’s GVP of International Mark Talarico. “The retail store concept is proving itself to be a fantastic marketing, sales, and most importantly, brand awareness driver for our distributors.”

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  • Singapore-Indonesia Talk Agribusiness Export

    Singapore-Indonesia Talk Agribusiness Export

    Minister of Foreign Affairs Retno Marsudi received her Singaporean counterpart Vivian Balakrishnan at the Foreign Affairs Ministry building in Jakarta today, January 13. This meeting between the two ministers is their second after the ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur in November last year.

    For Mr. Balakrishnan, this is his introductory visit to Indonesia since he was appointed as Singapore’s Foreign Affairs Minister in October 2015. In the meeting, the two ministers talked about a number of important issues.

    “The relationship between Indonesia and Singapore is one of the most intensive bilateral ties due to our geographic proximity and tight work relations,” Minister Retno said in an official statement on Wednesday, January 13.

    The ministers talked about how to enhance economic ties between the two nations. One way is through agribusiness exports.

    “Singapore needs this product, while Indonesia has the capacity. The geographic proximity between the two countries is a potential than can be brought closer,” the minister said.

    Indonesia and Singapore are planning to hold agribusiness collaborations in the fields of cool storage and infrastructure standard.

    The two ministers also discussed about the potential for a partnership in the manpower sector. Minister Retno said that, in the future, Indonesia will enhance the quality of skilled workers – particularly in fields with high demands such as therapists, caregivers, and other.

    The meeting was also spent talking about regional cooperation, ASEAN in particular, and the plan for Singapore’s Prime Minister to visit Indonesia.

    In addition to meeting Minister Retno, Mr. Balakrishnan’s trip to Indonesia also included an honorary visit to President Joko WIdodo and Luhut Pandjaitan, Coordinating Minister of Law and Human Rights.

    Singapore is Indonesia’s second largest trading partner after China. In 2014, the trading value between Indonesia and Singapore reached US$42 billion.

    In terms of investment, Singapore is Indonesia’s biggest investor. In 2014, Singapore’s investment actualization in Indonesia valued at US$5.8 billion. Singapore is also Indonesia’s largest contributor of foreign tourists, with more than 1.5 million Singaporeans visiting Indonesia per year on average.

  • Siemens studies participation in Indonesia`s electricity program

    Siemens studies participation in Indonesia`s electricity program

    German company Siemens Energy Sector is studying the possibility of taking part in the governments program in the electricity sector.

    The government has a program to build power plants with a total capacity of 35,000 megawatts until 2019.

    Member of the board of management of Siemens Lisa Davis met Vice President M. Jusuf Kalla on Tuesday discussing Siemens interest in taking part in carrying out the program.

    Lisa said Siemens has long been venturing in Indonesia taking part in the government development program especially in development of power plants.

    She also expressed interest in cooperating with the state power utility company PLN in building power plants.

    “We discussed a lot of things in the energy sector such as in power generating plant, power transmission facility and distribution of power,” she said.

    She said involvement of Siemens in the 35,000 MW electric program would open many jobs in the country.

    Siemens has produced electrical components and Indonesia is a potential market for the products.

    “We see Indonesia a potential market for our manufactured products. That is the reason for our interest in cooperation with the Indonesian government,” she added.

    German Ambassador Georg Witschel, who accompanied Lisa at the meeting with the vice president, said Germany will also be ready to offer help for Indonesia in the implementation of its programs including in its electricity program.

  • CNBC to launch channel in Indonesia

    CNBC to launch channel in Indonesia

    Financial news channel CNBC has struck a deal with PT Trans Media Corpora to launch a CNBC-branded channel in Indonesia.

    CNBC Indonesia is to enter Southeast Asia’s largest economy later this year, and will be a Bahasa-language service.

    Mark Hoffman, chairman of CNBC, said that the deal with Trans Media underpins the broadcaster’s emerging markets strategy.

    “We are pleased to bring CNBC’s unique and robust content proposition to millions of Indonesians in their local language, further opening the world of international business and finance to a growing economic powerhouse,” Hoffman said.

    Chairul Tanjung, founder and chairman of PT Trans Media Corpora’s parent company, CT Corp, said: “The primary objectives of the CNBC Indonesia venture are to facilitate global business conversations in Bahasa Indonesia, to educate our growing middle class, and to facilitate better information flow for decision making. This will help realise the full potential of the capital markets and businesses, accelerating the economic development of Indonesia.”

    CNBC’s announced launch comes just three months after rival Bloomberg closed its Indonesian joint venture after running into financial difficulties. Bloomberg is still looking for a new local partner to revive its Indonesian ambitions, Mumbrella understands.

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  • Myanmar City Mart eyes US$25m expansion

    Myanmar City Mart eyes US$25m expansion

    The Work Bank Group’s International Finance Corporation (IFC) has invested US$25m in Myanmar’s largest private retailer Myanmar City Mart Holding (CMHL) to expand its operations, create jobs and boost Myanmar’s retail sector.

    CMHL plans to use the loan to construct 20 additional supermarkets and hypermarkets over the next three years, adding to the 150 stores operating in Myanmar.

    The new operations are expected to increase CMHL’s purchases from domestic suppliers six-fold, hitting US$150m by 2021, and creating more than 4,000 jobs, half of which will be for women.

    “IFC’s investment is a sign of confidence in our business plan as well as in Myanmar’s retail sector potential,” founder and managing director Win Win Tint said in a company statement.

    “In addition to funding, IFC’s expertise and advice on food safety, good social and environmental practices and corporate governance will also help us take the company to the next level.”

    “IFC supports the development of a modern retail sector in developing countries as it helps spur growth and job creation, develop supply chain and logistics infrastructure, and support smaller businesses,” said Vivek Pathak, IFC regional director for East Asia and Pacific. “With our global expertise and industry knowledge, we will be delighted to work with CMHL to improve efficiency and standards to become a model retailer in Myanmar.”

    CMHL was established in 1996 and today operates supermarkets, hypermarkets, bakeries, pharmacies and convenience stores across Myanmar.

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  • Lion group to receive 44 aircraft

    Lion group to receive 44 aircraft

    Lion Group will procure 44 aircraft this year for the airlines under its operations, including Lion Air, Wings Air, and Batik Air, Edward Sirait, its president director, stated here on Monday.

    He noted that the aircraft fleet is being expanded to increase capacity in view of the growth this year, which is expected to reach 15 percent.

    Edward remarked that 14 aircraft will be for Lion Air, 18 for Wings Air, and 12 for Batik Air.

    “The number will be adjusted based on the market demand in line with the transportation ministrys forecast that the number of passengers will increase by 15 percent,” he claimed.

    He affirmed that all the new aircraft for Lion Air are Boeing, while Batik Air will receive Boeing and Airbus aircraft, and Wings Air would get ATR aircraft.

    He stated that the aircraft were procured through operating lease and financial lease schemes.

    He noted that the new aircraft will be used to serve new routes, especially for direct flights such as on the Balikpapan-Bandung, Tarakan-Semarang, and Banjarmasin-Denpasar routes.

    He remarked that Lion Group will also start flight services for minor Hajj pilgrims, with direct flights to Madinah using the wide-bodied Boeing 747 and Airbus 330.

    “Other airlines only offer flights to Jeddah, from where the passengers have to undertake a six-hour land journey. We have prepared direct flights to Madinah, so that the passengers could immediately proceed to carry out their religious rites,” he added.

    Lion Group currently has two Boeing 747 and three Airbus 330 aircraft.

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  • Largest Licensing Show and Conference Open in Hong Kong

    Largest Licensing Show and Conference Open in Hong Kong

    The world’s leading licensors have gathered at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre (HKCEC) for the 14th Hong Kong International Licensing Show and fifth Asian Licensing Conference which opened today. Organised by the Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC), the twin events explore partnership and licensing opportunities in Asia, and especially the Chinese mainland.

    Among the international brands taking part in the International Licensing Show (11-13 January) are BBC Worldwide, Chelsea Football Club, Hasbro, Hearst Magazines International, Sanrio, The Palace Museum in Beijing, The Wiggles, Warner Bros., 20th Century Fox and Ali-the-Fox. This year, the show features a record number of more than 340 exhibitors from 15 countries and regions, showcasing more than 860 brands and properties across such categories as animation and edutainment, art and design, fashion and lifestyle, and food and beverage.

    HKTDC Executive Director Margaret Fong said the global licensing industry is valued at more than US$158 billion, with Asia accounting for 12.2 per cent of the global market and the Chinese mainland being the main driving force of such sales. She also noted that Asia is not only a key market for licensing, but also the origin of dynamic and indigenous brands developed by the region’s young creative talents and backed by strong local government support, as evidenced by the strong Asian participation at the International Licensing Show.

    Ms Fong also pointed out that Hong Kong, with its strategic location, robust protection of intellectual property (IP) rights, an independent legal system, deep and broad pool of IP professionals as well as close business links with the Chinese mainland and the rest of the region, is the best place from which to tap into licensing opportunities in Asia, and especially the mainland.

    Licensing is a type of intellectual property trading. The HKTDC supports and promotes IP trading, including by developing and enhancing the Asia IP Exchange (AsiaIPEX), a free online intellectual property trading platform and database. The Character Brand Licensing Association (CBLA), organiser of the Japan Pavilion at the Licensing Show, this morning (11 January) formed a strategic partnership with the HKTDC to foster IP trading between Hong Kong and Japan through the AsiaIPEX.

    Besides the Japan Pavilion, other international pavilions include those from the mainland, Korea, Taiwan, Malaysia, Thailand, Australia and the United Kingdom, which together enrich the show with more region-specific content.

    China’s Ministry of Culture brings a large delegation

    China’s Ministry of Culture is leading a delegation of more than 60 companies, including over 30 from Guangdong, Zhejiang and Szechuan, making the Chinese mainland pavilion the largest in the Licensing Show’s history. Among the key enterprises and organisations are The Palace Museum, Beijing Dream Castle Culture Co. Ltd with its brand Ali-the-Fox and the animation enterprise Zhejiang Zhongnan Animation Co.

    Dynamic prospects for lifestyle sectors

    Among the wide range of licensing categories spotlighted are character, animation, edutainment, art and culture, fashion and lifestyle as well as the newly added food and beverage licensing category.

    The Art and Culture Licensing category features well-known brands showcasing their properties and merchandise, including The Palace Museum (China), National Museum of History (Taiwan), Van Gogh Museum (Netherlands), ink colour paintings by Master Lam Tian Xing and three Japanese manga culture museums, namely The Osamu Tezuka Manga Museum, Kawasaki City Fujiko F. Fujio Museum and the Anpanman Museum.

    Under the Fashion & Lifestyle Licensing category, classic and stylish brands such as Smiley, Ducati, Paris Saint-Germain FC, AC Milan, Chelsea Football Club, FC Barcelona and Manchester City Football Club are on display. The “Harper’s Bazaar Lounge”, sponsored by Hearst Magazines in the Chancellor Room of the newly expanded show venue, offers a taste of lifestyle licensing. Also, The Royal Touch created by Carolyn Robb, former Executive Chef to Prince Charles and Princess Diana and world-famous food critic, has joined hands with Dining Plus, a premier business food and beverage platform, to present Food and Beverage Licensing.

    Hong Kong Creative Gallery, promoting home-grown creativity, returns with around 60 original characters created by young Hong Kong designers and illustrators. Hong Kong’s Leisure and Cultural Services Department presents cross-over merchandise from Hong Kong museums and local designers under the theme “Bring Me Home – the Story of Hong Kong Culture, Art & Design”. Hong Kong Creative Gallery also features award-winning brands from the inaugural Hong Kong Licensing Awards 2015, organised by the Asian Licensing Association.

    Business matching sessions foster collaboration

    The HKTDC has organised 63 delegations, welcoming more than 1,000 business representatives from some 20 countries and regions to participate in the Licensing Show. To connect more buyers with exhibitors, a dedicated business matching session is organised in collaboration with Hong Kong’s industry associations (Federation of Hong Kong Brands, the Hong Kong Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions, Hong Kong Apparel Society, the Hong Kong Exporters’ Association, Hong Kong Watch Manufacturers Association Limited, Hong Kong Toys Council, the Federation of Hong Kong Watch Trades & Industries Ltd, Hong Kong Retail Management Association and Hong Kong Publishing Federation) covering sectors including toys, garment, watch and clock, publishing, retail and travel. More than 500 business matching meetings will be arranged at the fairground to create more business opportunities for the show’s participants.

    Interactive events generate business exchange

    The Licensing Show includes interactive events to create more business matching opportunities for visitors. The ink colour painting Master Lam Tian Xing presented art demonstrations today during the show. Activities tomorrow include “Kumamon Exercise” organised by Kumamoto Prefectural Government of Japan, a presentation by actor Jim Chim entitled “Jim Chim x PLAYCORNER x dr jim jim: Reaching out to the world of licensing”, “Junior Chef Go! Go! Go!” delivered by Dining Plus as well as a series of activities presented by Warner Bros.

    Asian Licensing Conference explores opportunities in the region

    Held alongside the Licensing Show, the Asian Licensing Conference (11-12 January) welcomes more than 30 global licensing experts to speak at the conference. During this morning’s plenary session, Maura Regan, Sesame Workshop’s Senior Vice President & General Manager of International Media Business, spoke about the company’s strategic collaborations with mainland broadcasters and top digital platforms in expanding to Asia, in particular the Chinese mainland market. Another speaker Shinichi Murata, Vice Governor of Kumamoto Prefectural Government Japan, demonstrated how the Japanese prefecture uses the licenses of Kumamon to promote Kumamoto’s tourism and culture. Senior executives from BBC Worldwide and Michelin Lifestyle also discussed licensing opportunities and their corporate strategies in Asia.

    Meanwhile, three Breakout Sessions today explored brand extension through licensing in areas of “entertainment and new media”, “fashion, lifestyle and branded services” as well as “art, culture and tourism”. Speakers included representatives from Disney, Harley Davidson, Hearst Magazines, Kodak Worldwide, Taiwan’s Jimmy S.P.A., The British Library, The Palace Museum, The Wiggles and Tezuka Productions.

    The main theme of the conference tomorrow will be the Chinese mainland market, with senior executives from Hasbro, JD.com, Guangzhou’s HccartoonAnimationTechnology (GZ) Company Limited and Alpha Animation Brand Management Company Limited discussing how licensing can help companies tap into the mainland market. Two workshops will introduce the basics of licensing and hear from experts on legal and intellectual property (IP) issues related to licensing. The Intellectual Property Department of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region (HKSAR) Government is a strategic partner of the IP and legal workshop.

    Concurrent events add new business dimension

    Taking place in parallel with the Licensing Show and the Asian Licensing Conference are the Hong Kong Toys & Games Fair, Hong Kong Baby Products Fair and Hong Kong International Stationery Fair. Together these events, which each have significant licensing elements, will generate new business opportunities and attract more industry professionals and buyers to the fairs.

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